US9143839B2ExpiredUtilityA1

Method and apparatus for browsing using multiple coordinated device sets

98
Assignee: CONVERGENT MEDIA SOLUTIONS LLCPriority: May 10, 2002Filed: Nov 6, 2012Granted: Sep 22, 2015
Est. expiryMay 10, 2022(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Richard Reisman
H04N 21/4532H04N 21/4622H04N 21/8583H04N 21/4143H04N 21/6587H04N 21/6193H04N 21/6175H04N 21/4316H04N 21/8173H04N 21/2387H04N 21/41407H04N 21/2358H04N 21/4113H04N 21/25H04H 20/426H04N 21/42204H04N 21/4782H04N 21/47202H04N 21/25825H04N 21/482G06F 17/30873H04H 20/38H04H 20/93H04N 21/4668H04N 21/858H04N 21/47H04N 21/4358H04N 21/4821H04N 21/8543H04N 21/643H04L 67/10H04N 21/85H04L 67/02H04N 21/440263H04N 21/4755H04L 65/1069H04N 21/422H04N 21/8586H04N 21/43637H04N 21/2225H04N 21/4438H04N 21/234363H04N 21/4312H04N 21/47208H04N 21/2665H04L 69/329H04N 21/4126H04N 21/478H04N 7/17318G06F 2216/15H04N 21/43615H04N 21/41265G06F 21/10G06F 16/954
98
PatentIndex Score
120
Cited by
667
References
63
Claims

Abstract

Systems and methods for navigating hypermedia using multiple coordinated input/output device sets. Disclosed systems and methods allow a user and/or an author to control what resources are presented on which device sets (whether they are integrated or not), and provide for coordinating browsing activities to enable such a user interface to be employed across multiple independent systems. Disclosed systems and methods also support new and enriched aspects and applications of hypermedia browsing and related business activities.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of operating a content server system, comprising:
 receiving at the content server system an internet request that is directed to a particular URL (Uniform Resource Locator), the internet request originating and initiated by a user rather than from a particular supported continuous media resource; 
 determining whether a PPC (program presentation context) parameter that indicates that the particular supported continuous media resource is currently being presented to the user is associated with the internet request, the PPC parameter originating separately from the particular supported continuous media resource; 
 in the event that the PPC parameter is determined to be associated with the internet request, the content server system responding to the internet request with first substantive user-relevant content with relevance that is at least in part a function of the URL and at least in part a function of the particular supported continuous media resource currently being presented to the user; and 
 in the event that the PPC parameter is determined to not be associated with the internet request, the content server system responding with second substantive user-relevant content with relevance that is at least in part a function of the URL and different from the first content, and wherein the second content comprises content other than a portion of the particular supported continuous media resource. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PPC parameter is a TVC (television context) parameter. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular URL includes a path name and the responding in either event is at least in part a function of the path name. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PPC parameter specifies an identification of the particular supported continuous media resource. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the identification is by one or more parameters that resolve to a unique program identifier. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the identification is by a channel number and such other information needed to resolve to a unique program identifier. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the identification is by a URL parameter associated with the particular supported continuous media resource that is supplied with the internet request and is independent of the particular URL. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PPC parameter specifies a particular time position in the presentation of the particular supported continuous media resource. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PPC parameter specifies a particular time position and a particular image region in the presentation of the particular supported continuous media resource. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second content is associated with the continuous media resource. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the particular supported continuous media resource is a non -advertising content program. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the particular supported continuous media resource is an advertising program associated with a non-advertising content program. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the event that a PPC parameter is determined to not be available, the first content is dynamically created. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PPC parameter is received with the internet request. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the PPC parameter is provided as a query string portion of the particular URL. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the PPC parameter is provided as a SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) request. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the PPC parameter is provided as a cookie. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the PPC parameter is provided in an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) format. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the responding is performed with facilitation of a supporting server system. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the supporting server system provides a PPC resolution service. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PPC parameter is provided independently of the receiving. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the PPC parameter is provided by a separate service in response to a request from the content server system. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the separate service is a web service. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular supported continuous media resource is distributed over the Internet. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the particular supported continuous media resource is streamed. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the particular supported continuous media resource is downloaded. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular supported continuous media resource is distributed over a proprietary network. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27 , wherein the proprietary network is a cable television network. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 27 , wherein the proprietary network is a satellite television network. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular supported continuous media resource comprises broadcast television, VOD (Video On Demand), video streaming, video download, broadcast radio, audio streaming or audio download. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the internet request is an HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) request. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing a continuing flow of content responses that are at least in part a function of the PPC parameter, wherein the continuing flow relates to continuous presentation of the particular supported continuous media resource. 
 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 32 , wherein the continuing flow is altered responsive to an updated PPC parameter. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 32 , wherein the continuing flow facilitates presentation of enhancement content that is substantially synchronized with the presentation of the particular supported continuous media resources. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 34 , wherein the content of the continuing flow is determined based on a selection of one or more of a plurality of enhancement channels, each channel providing different enhancement content. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content server system is an advertising server. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 36 , wherein the advertising server is a Web advertising server. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 37 , wherein the Web advertising server coordinates with a continuous media advertising server that facilitates placement of continuous media advertisements into a presentation of the continuous media. 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method operates in conjunction with further context -awareness methods for context attributes other than the PPC parameter. 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the context attributes other than the PPC parameter comprise a location context. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the context attributes other than the PPC parameter comprise a device type context. 
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the internet request is at least in part a function of a preference of the user. 
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular URL corresponds to a particular selection by the user. 
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first content comprises advertising content. 
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PPC parameter is included with the internet request. 
     
     
       46. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular supported continuous media resource comprises advertising content. 
     
     
       47. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content server system is responsive to requests directed to at least two different particular URLs with the same domain name wherein the URLs differ in their path component, and the first substantive user-relevant content corresponding to each internet request differs based on which of the two different particular URLs the internet request was directed to. 
     
     
       48. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content server system is responsive to requests directed to at least two different particular URLs with the same domain name wherein the URLs differ in their path component, and the second substantive user-relevant content corresponding to each internet request differs based on which of the two different particular URLs the internet request was directed to. 
     
     
       49. The method of  claim 47 , wherein the second substantive user-relevant content corresponding to each internet request differs based on which of the two different particular URLs the internet request was directed to. 
     
     
       50. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second substantive user-relevant content is responsive to a request directed to the particular URL without regard to whether a particular supported continuous media resource is currently being presented to the user or not. 
     
     
       51. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first substantive user-relevant content comprises both portions of substantive user-relevant content that are PPC-specific and portions of substantive user-relevant content that are not PPC-specific. 
     
     
       52. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the event that the PPC parameter is determined to not be associated with the internet request is an expected case of normal operation under which the content server system is intended to satisfy the user associated with the request, and the event that the PPC parameter is determined to be associated with the internet request is a functionally enhanced case in which added context awareness is intended to better satisfy the user associated with the internet request. 
     
     
       53. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PPC parameter is received with the internet request. 
     
     
       54. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PPC parameter is not received with the internet request, and is separately obtained by the server system. 
     
     
       55. A method of operating a content server system, comprising:
 receiving at the content server system an internet request that is directed to a particular URL (Uniform Resource Locator), the internet request originating and initiated by a user rather than from a particular supported continuous media resource; and 
 determining whether the internet request is associated with at least two independent context parameters, the at least two independent context parameters originating separately from the particular supported continuous media resource; 
 in the event that the at least two independent context parameters are determined to be associated with the internet request, adapting a response to the internet request as a function of the at least two independent context parameters; 
 wherein a first one of the at least two independent context parameters comprises a PPC (program presentation context) parameter that indicates that the particular supported continuous media resource is currently being presented to the user; and 
 wherein a second one of the at least two independent context parameters comprises an additional context parameter other than the PPC parameter that was not previously associated with a current session of the user; and 
 wherein the response comprises content other than a portion of the particular supported continuous media resource and comprises substantive user-relevant content with relevance that is at least in part a function of the particular URL. 
 
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 55 , wherein the PPC parameter is a TVC (television context) parameter. 
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 55 , wherein the second one of the at least two independent context parameters indicates a sender device type. 
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 55 , wherein the second one of the at least two independent context parameters indicates a sender location. 
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 55 , wherein the adapting is at least in part a function of a preference of the user. 
     
     
       60. The method of  claim 55 , wherein the particular URL corresponds to a particular selection by the user. 
     
     
       61. The method of  claim 55 , wherein the particular supported continuous media resource comprises advertising content. 
     
     
       62. The method of  claim 55 , wherein the PPC parameter is included with the internet request. 
     
     
       63. The method of  claim 55 , wherein the content comprises advertising content.

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